Refresher Course

[Calvinandhobbs]

My wife and I recently got our OW certification while vacationing in Aruba. Even more recently, we've learned she's pregnant with our first child :sappy:

Since we will be out of the scuba game for a while, I was wondering what is involved in the recommended refresher course a person who hasn't dove in +6 months is suppose to take?

Specifically, how many hours are involved? Any classroom? How many dives? What skills are practiced?

Also, on a somewhat different topic. I see there's something called "PADI Scuba Diver". How is this different from "Open Water Diver"?

 

[divingjd]

SSI's refresher, the SCUBA Skills Update, can be completed in an evening. There is a very short manual that reviews material from the OW class, but the most important part is the pool session, in which you review the skills from OW. You can forget a lot if you haven't been diving in a while, but it generally comes back pretty quickly.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Padi's program is similar and we also modify it to meet the needs of each person. we can do a basic review which includes gear setup and quick review of tables with a pool session of about an hour and a half. There is also a more in depth where you get the more extensive table review, gear setup, possible buoyancy checks, and any other questions, and finally the big review which includes all the above and an invite to one of our weekends at the lake where you get a review in open water as well. Most do not do the weekend but those who do are surprised at what they remember AND what they forget in an ow situation as opposed to the pool.

 

[divingjd]

We would also modify it to meet specific needs. I was just describing the basic setup. If I had to take somebody to the pool more than twice, I would have to think about recommending taking OW over again, for the diver's own sake.

 

[knotical]

something called "PADI Scuba Diver". How is this different from "Open Water Diver"?

PADI Scuba Diver can be thought of as part way to Open Water, with less classroom, pool and open water training. Since they haven’t completed all the training for Open Water, they must dive with a Divemaster or higher. I’ve only used it when a student took sick and was not able to complete the last of the open water dives.